


Traces Left Behind

by KrisEleven



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, Temporary Character Death, Website: Heart of Camelot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-25
Updated: 2013-01-25
Packaged: 2017-11-26 20:09:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/653958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrisEleven/pseuds/KrisEleven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>But my dreams they aren’t as empty as my conscience seems to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Traces Left Behind

Morgana stood on the balcony overlooking Camelot. “There is peace in Camelot!” she said, her voice carrying. “And we must look to others - _every_ other - as brother and sister. As of this morning, the law banning magic has been lifted!” The crowd below cheered. She laughed as she looked out at the future. “There will be no more hiding, or persecution, no more executions! We will live together, without violence.”

“What about me?” Arthur asked her. She turned to face him, and she nearly choked on her wine as she took a sip just as Uther finished his story about old Geoffrey in the Council. She grabbed her napkin off her lap to cover her mouth. Arthur, on the other side of the table, leaned back in his chair as he laughed, the firelight catching in the gold of his blond hair. A servant put down a plate loaded with cut meat. 

“Are you all right, my dear?” Uther asked her. She waved a hand at him and smiled, catching her breath. He returned the smile and then turned to his son. “Arthur, slow down. The food is, hopefully, not still trying to leave the plate.” 

Arthur left off stuffing roast venison in his mouth long enough to chew. 

“If you are hungry after lessons, you can take your dinners earlier. You two don’t have to wait until I eat to have your own evening meals,” the king reminded them. Morgana and Arthur looked at each other as they rolled their eyes.

“Yes, Father, you _have_ said so before.”

“We _like_ to take our meals with you, Uther.”

Uther smiled at them both, and held out a hand for Morgana to hold. “Well, I am glad. As you get older, I see you both less and less. I would not want to lose – ”

“Everything,” Merlin whispered into her ear. Morgana twisted to glance behind her, and then turned back, looking out over her darkened throne room. They had been brought in, all of them. She hadn’t seen who had carried in the lifeless forms, except here they all were, everyone she had lost: her parents, together as they had never truly been in life; Morgause, her hair spread around her like a golden fan, her face scarred; Uther still wore the crown of Camelot, his face severe even in death; Arthur, golden Arthur, dressed in Camelot’s colours; Gwen in the garb of a servant, the way she had been when she was Morgana’s closest friend; Mordred who looked so young with his eyes closed; Merlin, empty of life and power; Druids she had known; soldiers who had died for her; enemies, and allies alike. All of them grey and cold and lifeless at her feet.

She sat on her throne in victory.

And she wakes. 

She sits up in bed, looking around her empty chambers. The dream is fading, leaving only traces behind; of dreams long shattered, family lost, and a deep, lingering sense of being always alone.

**Author's Note:**

> The summary is from Behind Blue Eyes, by The Who. This song was the focus of the challenge, this quote inspired the fic.


End file.
